Concept2 Forum

Hi. For the maintenance of the chain I know that you can use or a 3 in 1 oil, or a 20W oil.
I haven't those oil, but I have the oil for the bike chain. It's good also for rover or I have to buy a specific oil?

I suppose it would depend upon the viscosity of your bike chain lube, whether it was suitable or not.

You can also use pure pharmaceutical grade mineral oil which is inexpensive and readily available at big box stores as well as pharmacies.

I have this oil.
http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/c ... s/wet-lube

I don't know if someone know it and can tell me if is OK. But reading that page I think is too much viscous.

orange-box wrote:I have this oil.
http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/c ... s/wet-lube

I don't know if someone know it and can tell me if is OK. But reading that page I think is too much viscous.

As expensive as it is, I'd recommend using 20 weight synthetic motor oil or mineral oil. Just my opinion.

(I'm using 20 weight motor oil myself. I had a quart laying around from my motorcycle that has been working very nicely.)

There are many chain "lubricants" available and we have only tested a few. Many of them are primarily a solvent for cleaning, and once the solvent is gone there is very little lubricant left behind to do the real work, which results in premature wear and elongation of the chain, which leads to early sprocket wear. The chain manufacturers recommendation is simple- 20 weight oil- which can be 20 weight motor oil, household 3 In One oil or mineral oil. Also keep in mind that this is not a bicycle chain- different construction and different application mean that what's good for one is not necessarily be good for the other. C2JonW

I would think that any bicycle chain oil would be fine. the rower is not subjected to the elements nor the gear change abuse that a bicycle chain typically has to endure. Just don't use WD-40. That is not a lubricant.

I would think that any bicycle chain oil would be fine. the rower is not subjected to the elements nor the gear change abuse that a bicycle chain typically has to endure. Just don't use WD-40. That is not a lubricant.

Yes, you would think- but many bike chain lubes are not suitable for the rower- too much solvent and not enough lubricant. Many years ago we tested several lubes against 20 weight oil and the results were clear- much less "stretch" occurring with 20 weight. The chain needs good lubrication, perhaps more so than on a bike because of the way it's constructed, so keep it simple (and cheap)- a quart of motor oil for $5 will last a lifetime at less than the price of a seasons worth of hi-tech bike chain lube. C2JonW

People tend to overthink the oil for chains. Job #1 is keep it clean, job #2 is a light smear of almost any clean motor oil. I use Marvel Mystery Oil myself

People tend to overthink the oil for chains. Job #1 is keep it clean, job #2 is a light smear of almost any clean motor oil. I use Marvel Mystery Oil myself

MMO is meant to be primarily a fuel additive and may be better than nothing- according to Wiki it's mostly mineral oil, though there's also some solvents. Never having tested it and not knowing the viscosity (which is important) I'd still recommend going with the 20 weight. C2JonW

Is this lubricant oil from Decathlon any good? I can't readily find other types of cheaper oil locally.

FRiC wrote:Is this lubricant oil from Decathlon any good? I can't readily find other types of cheaper oil locally.

Not cheaper, but C2 - approved:

http://shop-uk.concept2.com/search?cont ... it_search=

FRiC wrote:Is this lubricant oil from Decathlon any good? I can't readily find other types of cheaper oil locally.

It's OK as long as you completely ignore everything written by Jon from Concept2. Jon knows more about chain lubrication on the rower than anyone else in the world. Ignoring Jon may mean you have to replace the chain and sprockets early.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_no ... 3-in-1+oil

Recommended by C2 Jon Wilson. So good lookin’ so refined (the oil that is). 20wgt. is sometimes hard to find. If it ain’t marked as such, you can tell by the “legs” (roughly the viscosity of liquid dish detergent). Unopened bottle @ house left Is vintage 1993 and marked “intestinal lubricant”. Personally, I wouldn’t swig a jigger of the stuff but isn’t it nice to know you could? I suspect some of our older lads here will remember their mothers approaching with a tbsp. of this elixir what fix your . . . .

c2jonw wrote:

People tend to overthink the oil for chains. Job #1 is keep it clean, job #2 is a light smear of almost any clean motor oil. I use Marvel Mystery Oil myself

MMO is meant to be primarily a fuel additive and may be better than nothing- according to Wiki it's mostly mineral oil, though there's also some solvents. Never having tested it and not knowing the viscosity (which is important) I'd still recommend going with the 20 weight. C2JonW

Hey Jon, thanks! I never realized Marvel Mystery Oil was a real brand. I always thought it was shorthand for 'whatever's in the bottle'. What I meant was, I keep a little can full of leftovers from other oil jobs. I'll have to start calling it Mongrel Oil now

- Mark

Never saw a can of MMO that wasn’t empty except for some red sludge.. Mostly volatile solvents—including carbom tet. I’d rather drink the mineral oil than breathe MMO! Apparently some wrenches liked a whiff of the wintergreen.